Lambs win again

FT: Kidderminster Harriers 02 Tamworth

09 September 2006

Lambs captain Adie Smith made a return to his former home and had been widely quoted as predicting a victory at Aggborough and Mark Cooper had boosted his squad prior to the game with two new signings, although the traveling Lambs would have to wait for the return of Paul Devlin. The debut of Joe Kendrick would also have to wait as he took one of the spaces on the bench alongside two players returning from injury – Dave Bampton and Steve Burton.So, there was only one change to the side that beat Stevenage – the enforced absence of Alan Neilson brought Kyle Storer into the starting eleven.

The game started at a slow space, but The Lambs looked to be more in control of proceedings with the ball rarely crossing into the Tamworth half in the opening few minutes.The first attempt on goal from either side came in the 8th minute. Sustained possession by Tamworth resulted in a number of crisp passes forward out of midfield, but ultimately Graham Deakin’s curled effort was very easy for Scott Bevan to collect.And on 10 minutes Taiwo Atieno connected his header but could not direct it sufficiently to cause Bevan any problems from a pin point cross from the right by Deakin.The home side then enjoyed a spell of possession with Jonny Harkness firing a freekick directly into Sean Bowles’ arms and Mark Creighton heading a corner wide on 21.On 22 Russell Penn followed through his challenge on Bowles and put the ball in the back of the net, but the referee called play back and booked Penn for the foul.

Kiddy’s Brian Smikle missed a golden opportunity to open the scoring on 25, smashing the ball into the side netting from right of the six yard box after The Lambs defence failed to cut out Iyseden Christie’s low left wing cross.The game started to liven up a little around this point with Harriers coming forward a little more, but Tamworth were not holding back either. Smith fed Deakin on 33, but the youngsters shot from 30 yards rose high over Bevan’s goaland Bevan had to make a stop from Atieno on 34 but the shot, despite being on target, lacked any real power to trouble the home ‘keeper.A gap appeared in the Lambs defence on 36 allowing Penn a shot but it went harmlessly wide of the mark and on 38 Christie tried his luck from 25 yards but cleared the top of the away stand with his effort.HT: 0-0

A knock to Matt Williams forced a half time substitution for The Lambs and gave Steve Burton the chance of impressing on his debut but it was Adie Smith who almost opening the scoring slamming a right footed shot at goal on 47 and forcing Bevan to tip the ball over the bar.

And 2 minutes later Smith again struck for goal but his shot, past a crowd of players in the box, curled wide of the right hand post.

To the delight of the TFC fans behind the goal, Atieno somehow opened the scoring on 54 minutes. The ball came to him in the box and whilst turning to shoot it appeared to come off his heels and skip under and past Bevan and in at the far post. (1-0)

Luke Reynolds tried for an equalizer on 57 but couldn’t control his shot which banana’d over the bar from the left of the area.

Tamworth made it 2-0 on 64 from Jon McGrath’s freekick which Bradley Thomas headed home with relative ease from 8 yards out.

Christie directed a header well off target on 70 as the home side tried to claw something back from the game, but Kidderminster put up a poor show against the hard working Lambs whose renewed confidence was showing in the display of the whole side.Joe Kendrick got to take part in the action in the latter stages of the game and almost made it 3-0 on the stroke of full time after some good play by Burton but Bevan was well placed to block and smother his shot.Six minutes injury time due to an earlier lengthy stoppage for an injury to Dean Sturridge meant the wait for the first Lambs away win and away clean sheet of the season was prolonged but it did eventually come and despite being drowned out by the loud boos from the home fans the cheers of the Tamworth fans were reciprocated by the players.